This invention relates to image and text searching techniques.
The process of finding and retrieving images stored electronically (e.g., on a computer or the Internet) has become increasingly difficult for a variety of reasons. For instance, with the explosive growth of the Internet, the number of searchable images available on the Internet has dramatically increased. With the increased number of images, the ability of conventional systems, methods, and computer programs to perform searching and retrieval functions in an efficient, useful, and timely manner has been challenged.
The ability of conventional systems, methods, and computer programs to efficiently find and retrieve desired images in a database has been hampered by poor indexing methodologies, inefficient organization, and inconsistent formatting of the images being searched and/or retrieved. Similar problems also may be experienced by other electronic applications involving a large quantity of images that may be searched for and retrieved. These problems may be compounded when the desired search result includes multiple formats (e.g., images and text).
In one general aspect, conducting a search for both text and images includes receiving input, which may include one or more search criteria for at least one of searchable image characteristics and text terms. The received input is compared with searchable image characteristics and text terms that have been indexed in a single format for multiple stored images and text segments. A search result is produced based on the comparison.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the searchable image characteristics and the text terms may be indexed in a uniform data format that enables a search engine to use the same search methodology to search for both images and text. The uniform data format may be an inverted index data format.
The comparison may include a single comparison of the received input with the searchable image characteristics and the text terms that have been indexed in the single format for multiple stored images and text segments. Alternatively, the comparison may include a first comparison of the received input with the searchable image characteristics that have been indexed in the single format and a second comparison of the received input with the searchable text terms that have been indexed in the single format.
The multiple stored images and text segments may be stored in a single electronic data store. Alternatively, the multiple stored images may be stored in a first electronic data store and the multiple text segments may be stored in a second electronic data store that differs from the first electronic data store.
The produced search result may include identifiers for one or more images and text segments that have been retrieved for display in a ranked manner. The images and the text segments may be ranked based on similarity metrics.
These general and specific aspects may be implemented using a system, a method, or a computer program, or any combination of systems, methods, and computer programs.
Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.